Awaken the dawn

DURATION: approx. 7m30s Awaken the dawn was written for and dedicated to Shachar Israel, Assistant Principal Trombone of the Cleveland Orchestra. Mr. Israel commissioned the work and worked closely with the composer during the composition process. The piece is demanding for both trombonist and pianist. Naming the piece was relatively straightforward, as the composer intended from the outset to use the English translation of the Hebrew word and Mr. Israel's first name 'Shachar' (in Hebrew, 'shachar' means 'dawn'). The title, taken from a passage in the Book of Psalms, is intended to represent the energy and beauty present in the few moments before dawn breaks. The piece begins with a lyrical trombone line, floating over a minimalistic piano accompaniment. Making the most of the trombone's pitch and dynamic range, the trombone becomes increasingly agitated and the piano accompaniment more fragmented. A frenetic passage leads into a fast, aggressive section before returning to the opening melodies. Mr. Israel recorded the piece in 2018 at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio with the marvelous Martha Locker on piano. The recording was produced by the Grammy award-winning Elaine Martone. The recording is currently available on Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music.